Wednesday, July 30, 2014

As different as the Western states are, many face similar
challenges of invasive pest species disrupting effective IPM programs.

That was a key point shared by the Western state IPM
coordinators when they met last month at Montana State University in Bozeman to
discuss regional IPM research and extension activities.

Most states reported on the challenges invasive pests pose
to existing IPM programs and the related threats to agricultural production and
natural landscapes. Several states noted new and expanding infestations to
spotted winged Drosophila, emerald ash borer, and Bagrada bug.

In forest and natural areas, several states have invasive
plants species and introduced insect pests transported in firewood. The Pacific
Northwest states have flowering rush in some river and lake systems, New Mexico
has several Diorhabda beetle species on salt cedar, and Guam has ironwood
decline.

On the positive side, New Mexico has not had a pink bollworm
reported since 2009 and Hawaii is having success with areawide insecticide
rotations for diamondback moth.

Each state reported on progress in IPM programs in
agriculture. The diversity of agriculture in the West was evident in the
individual state reports. Continuing progress in IPM research and extension
programs was reported for cotton and lettuce in Arizona, onion and dry bean in
Colorado, basil in Hawaii, pulse crops and sugarbeets in Idaho, wheat in
Montana, small vegetable farms in New Mexico, tree fruit in Oregon, and
winegrapes and hops in Washington.

Interesting new agriculture topics included herbicide
resistance in Colorado, diagnostic lab support in Montana, hoop house vegetable
production in Nevada, grasshopper swarms large enough to be seen on weather
radar in New Mexico, and reduced organophosphate use in tree fruit in Oregon. Perhaps
most interesting is use of hot showers to rid potted ornamental plants of coqui
frogs before shipment in Hawaii.

In urban IPM, the states of Washington, Utah, New Mexico,
and Oregon reported on school IPM programs.
This effort is part of the EPA’s School Integrated Pest Management
Plan. Currently, three percent of school
districts in Washington have achieved the IPM STAR certification. In Utah, school IPM will be mandated in the
future. New Mexico reported that when
specific school districts dropped their IPM programs and hired the services of
a pest management professionals, regular pesticide treatments resumed.

Oregon reported an increase in adoption of school IPM programs. The state recently passed new IPM
legislation, and the Oregon State Vector Control Board is now using climate-based
models to predict spread of West Nile Virus.
Montana is reinvigorating its
urban IPM program. Several states are using their Master Gardeners programs to
reach homeowners with lawn and garden IPM information.

Some states mentioned moving IPM outreach materials into the
social media realm, including YouTube videos. Social media can also be used to
track impact as the number of views of a video or hits on a websites.

The Western IPM Center supports the development, adoption and evaluation of integrated pest management to benefit the people, environment and economy of the West. From our headquarters in Davis, California, we serve 13 Western states and the Pacific Island territories.